Man threatened to bomb dispatchers, high school, Starbucks, charges say

Man threatened to bomb dispatchers, high school, Starbucks, charges say

(Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office)


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WEST VALLEY CITY — Newly released court documents offer more details into a man's alleged threats to bomb several prominent businesses in West Valley City, including the Valley Fair Mall, a high school and emergency dispatchers.

Ismael Delgado Delacruz, 24, was charged Jan. 24 in 3rd District Court with making a terroristic threat, a second-degree felony.

Delacruz called the Valley Emergency Communications Center multiple times on Jan. 21 and "threatened to bomb VECC, the Valley Fair Mall, Starbucks and Granger High School," according to charging documents.

But the investigation into Delacruz actually began in late 2018 when a man made multiple calls to the 911 center from the same number, making statements such as wanting to “fight with police” and threatening to "rape" a dispatcher, according to a search warrant affidavit.

"The caller made mention of being a gang banger and of having a 'gas tank and a phone with Wi-Fi,'" the warrant states. "The same person called VECC from this phone number 18 times between Nov. 27, 2018, and Dec. 13, 2018."

Investigators identified Delacruz by talking with his family in California. They were also able to confirm from cellphone tower data that the calls were being placed from somewhere in Salt Lake County, the warrant states.

On Jan. 21, Delacruz again made multiple calls to the Valley Emergency Communications Center, and "stated that he was going to 'murder people' and threatened to 'bomb' VECC, Valley Fair Mall, Granger High School, Starbucks and the West Valley City police station," according to the warrant.

Delacruz also stated "he did not know how the 'bomb' could be 'deactivated' and that he did not 'plant the device' himself, 'someone else did,'" the warrant states.

His next scheduled court hearing is Feb. 25.

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Pat Reavy is a longtime police and courts reporter. He joined the KSL.com team in 2021, after many years of reporting at the Deseret News and KSL NewsRadio before that.

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